Holidays  Christmas  Three Little Words
by spacegypsy1
Summary: Daniel and Vala have been together now since Halloween.  But they have yet to say those three little words each longs to hear.  Stand alone or Sequel to Holidays- Halloween and Thanksgiving.


Title: Holidays - Christmas – Three Little Words

Author: spacegypsy1

Rating: PG

Category: Romance

Pairings: Daniel Jackson and Vala Mal Doran

Characters: Daniel Jackson and Vala Mal Doran, with guest appearances by: Sam, Cam, Teal'c, Jack, Carolyn

Spoilers/Timeline: No Spoiler/Season 10 or after

Word Count: About 1900

Synopsis: Daniel and Vala have been together now since Halloween. But they have yet to say those three little words each longs to hear.

~o0o~ ~o0o~ ~o0o~ ~o0o~ ~o0o~

"Don't touch that!"

Vala snatched her hand back. "For heaven's sake!"

"I know, sorry I yelled. But we don't have a clue what it's capable of."

"I'm trying very hard not to be bored until you finish. It is Christmas Eve. Everyone's out being merry. There are only skeletons on crew."

Lips puckered in thought he looked up, then with an 'ah ha' expression of understanding he nodded and returned to his task. "The longer you pester me the longer I have to stay to finish this."

With a deep sigh she tapped herself on the forehead with the Christmas catalog she held.

Looking up he smiled and held his car keys out. "Why don't you take the keys and go to my place and get ready. You'll have time to soak in the tub."

Folding over at the waist, Vala placed her elbows on his desk and supported her face. "I can't. That wouldn't help if I'm naked in your tub without you. I wouldn't accomplish anything, well, anything that has to do with getting ready." She swished her hips back and forth, grinning.

His voice grew firm, serious. "Okay, that's it."

"Oh, finished?"

"No. You have to go. I can't think straight. I'll drop by your quarters at six. No! At seven."

"Seven! It's only two now how can it take so long for you to decipher something? I'll die of boredom. It's Christmas Eve. There are presents to be opened."

"Presents are opened on Christmas morning. And I have to finish this!"

"Pfft."

"Okay, go now and I will drop by at five."

"Four."

"Fine."

"See you at three. I'm so excited about spending Christmas Eve at your place. And making Christmas breakfast and opening presents together and then the real deal, or catered deal, Christmas dinner at Sam's. I've never had a holiday so packed with jam! This is going to be my best Christmas ever!"

~o0o~

Smiling, Vala sighed and cuddled closer to Daniel for another minute before quietly inching out from under his arm to slip out of bed. He mumbled something and turned over. She stood looking at him curled up, pillow under his head and arm under his pillow. The other one of his well defined, sexy arms was across the side of his face.

She loved him so much, so very much. And she was happy. Ecstatic in fact, and she'd hold on to him as long as she could. She would never tell him how she felt. Too risky. Daniel cared for her, but his love belonged to Sha're and she understood that. When he left her, as she knew he would, they all do one way or another, she would go on, it was her life. It's what she knew. Not being one to dwell on her past or her future she sighed with resignation and wandered off towards the kitchen.

It was Christmas morning. It was snowing. Daniel had made mad crazy love to her all night. And she, Vala Mal Doran, would make him pancakes this wonderful beautiful morning.

~o0o~

The smell of something burning woke Daniel. Hopefully not his apartment. He jumped up, donned a pair of sweatpants and rushed into the kitchen. Apparently there had been some kind of batter bomb, and whatever was round and black in the skillet was still smoldering. He turned the burner off, calling her name but got no answer.

Looking around his gaze came to a grinding halt on her six, covered with red velvet boy shorts that said 'ho 'ho 'ho in green glitter across the rise of her bum. Her feet were encased in Bert and Ernie slippers. She had on his T-shirt pulled back and knotted at the back of her waist. She danced to whatever music was coming through her iPod earbuds – Christmas music probably since that's all she listened to for the past month. And she was outside on his balcony. Most amazingly she had her head back and her mouth open catching snowflakes on her tongue as she danced.

It was at that moment that he realized how much he loved her. Burnt food, big kitchen mess, Bert and Ernie slippers and a jaded past...all of it. He loved all of it. Somewhere along the line since she came into his life he'd lost the fear of being hurt. The greater fear was never being with her, never loving her. He loved her and he needed to tell her that. Soon. At least at some point. Sooner than later. But not today.

She turned then and screamed, then stood there shivering.

Sliding the balcony door open he pulled her in. "What were you doing?"

"Daniel! You scared me! It's freezing cold out there and snowing." Sniffing the air, Vala rushed for the kitchen. "Oh! Oh, my...your pancakes!"

Teeth chattering, Vala crossed her arms around herself and frowned. "Well, there goes your Christmas morning breakfast."

Daniel came up behind her and wrapped her in his arms, resting his chin on her shoulder. "It's the thought that counts, sweetheart. Really." Buzzing her neck with a little kiss, he let her go, turned her in his arms and resisted the urge to grab a handful of 'ho, ho, ho'. "Go get warm in the bed. Your skin feels like a popsicle. I'll clean this up and then we can open our presents. Okay?"

With a saucy wink, Vala ran a finger down his bare chest. "Can't we clean up tomorrow? We have coffee and donuts and we can take that and our presents back to the bedroom, where we can nest until we have to get ready and go to Sam's. How does that sound?"

"I'll be there in a minute with the coffee and donuts."

"I'll snag the gifts and put them on the bed."

~o0o~

They lay spent, snuggled on the bed amongst ribbons and wrapping paper, boxes and bows. And skates. Vala had given Daniel a pair of roller skates so he could go skating with her, and Daniel had given her a pair of ice skates so she could skate with him. They'd laughed and promised each other to learn.

Vala lay listening to Daniel breathe, but she knew he wasn't sleeping. He was being very quiet and she worried that she'd let slip – while in the throes of passion - three little words she knew he didn't want to hear. It was driving her crazy, so she blurted out, "I'm sorry! Really! I mean, Daniel, it's just that I..."

"What?" He grumbled, turning to face her. "What are you sorry for?"

Maybe he'd been half asleep, and now she'd stirred the hornet's nest as the Tau'ri say. "Er, I mean, didn't you...you don't know?"

"No, I was sorta busy before and about asleep when you started apologizing."

"Oh. Well. Sorry I didn't, you know, come along...you know...when you did."

"Yeah, you did."

"I did! Oh, of course I did."

"Once before me. Once with me, and once after me."

"Oh. Well. Good for me. Very good. Not sorry then!"

Daniel kissed her nose, turned over, and with a deep contented sigh his eyes closed but immediately popped back open when she squeaked out, "you're going back to sleep?"

"I'm exhausted. You wore me out." He burrowed into the covers, chuckling.

Vala rolled against his back placing a splayed hand on his belly where she felt the ripples of his silent laughter. Kissing is back, she closed her eyes. "Fine, sleep. But just remember, when you get old and can't take Viagra because of your peacemaker, you'll look back on this day with regret!"

He had her on her back so fast she didn't have time to utter a sound. "You're right and since my 'peacemaker' won't allow Viagra, I better get it while I can." He said, his voice deep and husky, and tinted with laughter.

"No. No! I was joking. I'm only...I...oh no, don't do that...I'm so tired...Daniel, plea...oh, mmm, oh, I mean yes..."

~o0o~

Vala walked behind Daniel on Sam's recently shoveled stone path. "You looked like the front of a Christmas card wrapped up in winter wear, snow surrounding you and your arms piled high with presents."

"Uh huh, and my arms wouldn't be piled so high if you'd take a few of these."

"I had to freshen my lipstick. You're halfway to the door now, so keep going."

Before he could answer a snowball whacked him on the back of the head "Oh, no you didn't."

"Oops. It slipped out. I was attempting to make a man out of ..."

Spinning around, he found her grinning mischievously, holding another massive amount of snow in her hand.

Her eyes grew wide as the packages tumbled like an avalanche of colors from his arms. With a high pitched shriek she tried desperately to get traction as she twisted away. Wet, cold snow smacked her in the crook of her neck and slithered like ice water down into her collar. Her laughter rang out with a mix of delight and mischief as she gathered more ammo.

Daniel stalled for a few seconds. Vala's laugh never failed to turn him on. Her voice, every utterance from that exquisite throat and that lovely mouth was tinted with a deep, throaty, beyond sexy, sound. Shaking off the paralyzingly provocative thoughts, he fired his next shot.

Unprepared, the snowball slammed into her making her jerk. Her feet slipped and she went face first into whiteness.

Laughter completely out of control, Daniel scooped up another handful, straddled her back, and opened the collar of her coat. He really should have known better. How many times had he been thwarted by her snake like moves?

Flipping him sideways with her legs, both hands came up filled with icy cold half formed snowballs. Daniel grunted, grinned and Vala went sailing to land on her back and he landed right on top of her.

"Umph." She muttered as he took her by the wrists and pulled her arms high over her head.

"Merry Christmas, Vala."

"Merry Christmas, Daniel."

"Vala?"

"Yes, darling?"

"I love you." He covered her mouth with his before she could respond.

She kissed him back, surrendering to his demands. When he finally moved his fiery lips to her neck, Vala sighed. "I love you."

Coming up on his elbows, Daniel's blue eyes scanned her face.

"I do, Daniel. I love you."

"You love me? Wow. You do, don't you?"

"Yes, but I'm getting all cold and wet, and we need to go."

"Back home to bed?"

"No, well, yes, later, but right now inside to dinner. Daniel. I love you."

"Mmm, me too, I love you." He kissed her again, rolling to his back and taking her with him without losing a second of contact.

~o0o~

"Ya know, Mitchell." Jack said turning from the window. "I remember the good old days when Daniel Disneyland meant some geeky place and not her."

"Yes, sir. She's got some special funky powers, that's for sure. I've never seen the guy so smitten and well, happy."

"I have. And it's good to see him happy again."

~Merry Christmas.


End file.
